Self-feeding paint roller



y 1967 J. J. FURLONG 3,320,630

SELF-FEEDING PAINT 11011111 Filed Sept. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. Jaw J FURLOA/G /Maw May 23, 1987 J. J. FURLONG 3,320,630

SEIJF'FEEDING PAINT ROLLER Filed Sept. 11. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet /0INVENTOR.

BY JOHN J Fu/uaA/a fi kwl EM United States Patent Office 3,32%,639Patented May 23, 1967 3,320,630 SELF-FEEDING PAINT ROLLER John J.Furlong, 3954 Leigh St., Riverside, earn. 92509 Fiied Sept. 11, 1964,Ser. No. 395,731 Ciaims. (Ci. 15-548) The present invention relates topaint rollers, and its primary object is to provide a new and improved,selffeeding paint roller in which the paint is automatically supplied tothe roller while the latter is being rolled over the surface to bepainted.

One important object of the invention is to provide a completelyself-contained paint roller of the type described, that requires nomotor-driven compressor or pump, and therefore is not dependent upon aconnection to an electrical outlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selffeeding paint rollerin which the paint is supplied to the roller at a uniform, metered rate,so that the roller is constantly loaded with exactly the right amount ofpaint, instead of alternating between too-wet and too-dry conditions,which are obtained most of the time when painting with a conventionalroller that is periodically dipped in a tray of paint.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selffeeding rollerthat can be used to apply liquid floor wax to a floor, and which can bequickly and easily locked against rotation to provide an efficientspreader for spreading the liquid wax to a thin, smooth film after thefloor has been thoroughly covered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selffeeding paint rollerof the class described, in which the rate at which the paint is suppliedto the roller is adjustable to suit the requirements of the surfacebeing painted, or to vary the thickness of the paint film.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a self-feeding paintroller that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, convenient andeasy to use, and of durable construction for long, trouble-free servicelife.

These objects are achieved in the present invention by the provision ofa pump on the paint roller, which is actuated by rotation of the rolleras the latter is rolled over the surface to be painted. This pump drawsthe paint from the paint can, through a flexible hose to the handle ofthe roller, and then discharges the paint into the hollow interior ofthe roller, where it seeps through small apertures in the inner core ofthe roller into the usual outer cover of lambs wool or similar fieecy orpilecovered fabric. The pump of the present invention is preferably ofthe piston and cylinder type, and uses an eccentric drive to producerelative motion between them. One of the important features of theinvention is the provision of means for varying the throw of theeccentric, whereby the amount of paint pumped with each turn of theroller can be regulated to suit the existing conditions. Means is alsoprovided for locking the eccentric against turning when it is desired touse the device as an applicator for spreading liquid floor Wax to athin, smooth film.

The advantages of the above-described arrangement are manifold. Sincethe invention provides completely automatic self-feeding, there is noneed to stop applying paint to a wall surface while the roller is beingdipped in the paint and then rolled over the inclined tray surface toeliminate the excess. Dripping of paint from the heavily loaded rolleras it is transferred from the tray to the wall surface is eliminated.Paint is delivered to the roller in an accurately metered flow,precisely adjusted to the conditions of the surface and the character ofthe paint, making it possible to roll a uniform thickness of paint ontothe entire surface of the wall being painted. The paint is used directlyfrom the can in which it is purchased, and no trays or pressure tanksare required. This means less paint loss in transferring from onecontainer to the other, and less clean-up time. No outside power isrequired, and therefore the invention can be used where there are noavailable electrical outlets.

These and other objects and advantages of the inven tion will becameapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, referencebeing had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially cut-away side elevational view of a paint rollerembodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one end ofthe roller, showing the pumping mechanism and the interior of theroller;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken at 33 in FIG URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the eccentric adjustedfor no-throw, thereby making the pumping mechanism inoperative;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken at 5-5 inFIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken at 6-6 in FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, the self-feeding paint roller of the present inventioncomprises a roller 10 carried at one end of a goose-neck holder 12 ofiron pipe or the like, the other end of which is enclosed within ahandle 14. At the bottom end of the handle 14, a flexible plastic tube16 is connected by a fitting 18 to the end of the pipe 12, and the otherend of the tube 16 is adapted to be inserted down into a can 20 ofpaint.

The pumping mechanism, which is the heart of the invention, isdesignated in its entirety by the reference numeral 22. The mechanism 22comprises a cylinder 24 having a central bore 26, and slidably disposedwithin this bore is a piston 28. A shouldered pivot screw 30 is screwedinto the bottom end of the cylinder 24 on the side thereof facing theroller 11 and swingably mounted thereon is a connecting rod 32, with anintervening Washer.

The connecting rod 32 extends upwardly from the pivot screw 30, and atits upper end there is a large circular aperture 34 which receives acircular eccentric disk 36. A narrow radial flange 38 projects from theeccentric disk 36 over the marginal edge of the connecting rodsurrounding the aperture 34, and this serves to continue the connectingrod to the eccentric.

Formed in the mid-portion of the eccentric disk 36 is an elongated,slightly arcuate slot 40, through which passes one end of a pipe 42 thatextends through the center of the roller 10 for its full length. The endof the pipe 42 projects for a short distance beyond the outer face ofthe eccentric disk 36 and is threaded, so that it can be screwed into atapped hole in the top end of a piston head 44.

The interior of the pipe 42 opens into a large-diameter bore 46 in thetop end of the piston head 44, which is closed by a screw plug 48. Thebore 46 opens into a longitudinally extending, smaller diameter bore 50which extends down to the bottom end of the piston 28. At the junctionof the bore 50 with the larger bore 46, is a beveled valve seat 52, uponwhich is seated a ball 54. The hall 54 is spring-pressed against itsseat by a spring 56, the top end of which is preferably seated in acavity in the center of the screw plug 48, as shown in FIG. 2.

Below the ball 54, the bore 50 is intersected by a lateral cavity 58,which is concentric with the end of the pipe 12, Where the latter screwsinto the piston head 44. The inner end of the pipe 12 is beveled to forma valve seat 60,

3 upon which is seated a ball 62 The ball 62 is lightly held against itsseat by a spring 64, the other end of which is seated in a shallowcavity opposite the cavity 58, as shown in FIG. 2.

The roller 10 comprises a cylindrical inner core 66 of sheet metal orthe like, having a plurality of small holes 63 provided therein. Theends of the core 66 are closed by tapered end plugs 70 and 72, which arejammed into the ends of the core in a force-fit, sothat the end plugsrotate with the inner core. The end plugs 70, 72 rotate freely on thepipe 42, and the roller is retained on the pipe 42 by a plug screw 74,which is threaded into the interior of the pipe. The usual outer sleeve76 of lambs wool or other fleecy fabric is fitted over the outer surfaceof the inner core 66, and this outer sleeve is porous, or perforated, topermit the paint passing through the holes 68 to seep through, into thefleece or pile of the outer sleeve. The pipe 42 has holes 78 drilled atintervals along its length, through which paint within the pipe isinjected into the interior of the inner core each time the piston 28 andcylinder 24 come together.

The eccentric disk 36 is swingably connected to the outer surface of theplug 7 by means of a screw 80 which passes through a countersunk hole 81in the eccentric disk 36 near one edge thereof, and is screwed into atapped hole 82 in the end plug 70. A look nut 83 is screwed onto theprojecting inner end of the screw 80 to secure the same. The screw 80 ison one side of the arcuateslot 40 about midway between the ends thereof,and arranged in an arcuate curve about the screw 80 on the other side ofthe slot 40 are four equidistantly spaced holes 84. A fifth hole 85 isprovided in the eccentric disk 36 adjacent one end of the slot 40, andthis is tapped to receive a threaded stem, the purpose of which will 'beexplained presently.

The holes 84 are adapted to receive a latch pin 86, having an enlargedmidportion 88 which is slidably received within a bore 90 in the endplug 70. The latch pin 86 is yieldingly pressed outwardly by a spring92, one end of which is seated within a cavity 94 of slightly reduceddiameter formed in the bottom of the bore 90. The annular shoulderformed at the junction of the enlarged portion 88 with thesmaller-diameter end of the latch pin, abuts against the eccentric 36around the marginal edge of the hole 84, thereby limiting the depth towhich the latch pin projects into the hole.

The holes 84 are so arranged that when the latch pin 86 is in the endhole at the right-hand end of the group, as seen in FIG. 3, theeccentric disk is displaced so that its center is offset the maximumdistance to one side of the center of the plug 70, thereby providing themaximum throw for the connecting rod 32 each time the roller turns. Onthe other hand, when the latch pin is seated in the end hole 84, at theleft-hand end of the group, as shown in FIG. 4, the eccentric disk iscentered with respect to the plug 70, and thus there is no throw to theconnecting rod 32 when the roller turns. The two intermediate holes 84give intermediate throws, thereby providing a fine adjustment of thethrow on the eccentric, to vary the volume of paint pumped by each turnof the roller.

To unseat the latch pin 86 from one of the holes 84, a stem 96 isprovided, which has an enlarged midportion 98 (FIG. 6) that slideswithin a transverse bore 100 formed in one side of the piston head 44near the top end thereof. The end of the stem 96 adjacent the eccentricdisk 36 .is slightly smaller in diameter than the holes 84, so that itcan be passed freely through the latter. The end of the stem is alsothreaded at 102, so that it can be screwed into the tapped hole 85 forthe purpose of locking the roller against turning, as will be explainedhereinafter. At the other end of the stem 96 is a head 104,- and bearingoutwardly against this head is a spring 106 which urges the stem in thedirection to retract the end from the hole 84.,

To unseat the latch pin 86 from its hole 84, the roller 10 is turneduntil the hole 84 with the latch pin seated therein is directly in linewith the stem 96. At this point, the stem 96 is pressed inwardly, asshown in FIG. 6, thereby pushing the latch pin 86 down into the end plug70 so that it clears the eccentric disk 36. The eccentric disk is thenturned slightly, which allows the latch pin 86 to spring into the nexthole 84. If it is desired to move the latch pin to still another hole,the operation is repeated, after first retracting the stem 96 from thehole 84, so as to permit turning the roller to bring the next hole 84-into line with the stem.

When the roller of the invention is used to apply liquid wax to a floor,it has been found that the best finish is obtained by spreading the waxto a thin, smooth film with the roller 10 locked against turning. Thismay be done after the floor wax has been applied to the floor, using theroller in the normal manner, and While the max is still wet. Theeccentric 36 is first centered with respect to the end plug 70, byseating the latch pin 86 in the hole 84 at the left-hand end of thegroup, as shown in FIG. 4. The roller 16 is then turned to bring thehole in line with the stem 96, and the latter is then pushed inwardlyagainst the pressure of the spring 106, and is screwed into the hole.This looks the roller against turning.

The operation of my invention is believed to be self evident from theforegoing description. As the roller 10 is rolled over the surface to bepainted, .the throw of the eccentric 36 causes the cylinder 24 to slideup and down on the piston 28, and this produces a pumping action. Duringthe downward stroke of the cylinder, the ball check valve 54 closeswhile ball check valve 62 opens, and the suction causes paint to bedrawn through the tube 16 and pipe 12 into the cylinder 24. On theupward stroke, ball 62 closes and ball 54 opens, thereby discharging thepaint into the pipe 42, and out through the holes 68. The interior ofthe roller becomes filled with paint, and thereafter, as additionalpaint is discharged into the roller by the pump 22, the paint is forcedto seep outwardly through the sleeve 76 and into the fleece or pile.

The amount of paint pumped with each turn of the roller depends upon theamount of throw of the eccentric, and this is governed by the positionof the eccentric disk 36 with respect to the end plug 70. Thus, if thelatch pin 86 is seated in the hole 84 that provides the maximum throw,the piston 28 and cylinder 24- will pump the maximum volume of paintwith each turn of the roller, whereas at the other extreme, there is nothrow to the eccentric, and no paint is pumped. When the latch pin 86 isseated in one of the intermediate holes 84, an intermediate volume ofpaint is pumped with each turn of the roller 10.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believeto be the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes may be made in the shape andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scopeof the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A self-feeding paint roller, comprising, in combination:

a holder having a handle at one end thereof;

a roller supported for rotation on the other end of said holder;

a pump mechanism mounted externally of said roller,

said mechanism comprising a cylinder member having a piston memberslidably disposed therein, one of said members being attached to saidholder adjacent one end of said roller, the axis of said one memberbeing disposed perpendicular to the axis of said roller;

a connecting rod attached at one end to the other of said members;

an eccentric attachedto said one end of said roller and engaging theother end of said connecting rod, said eccentric causing said connectingrod to reciprocate said other member with respect to 'said one memher assaid roller turns;

said eccentric being pivotally mounted on the end of said roller forturning about an axis ofiset laterally from and parallel to the axis ofrotation of the roller;

means for adjusting the angular position of said eccentric about saidpivot axis so as to vary the throw of said eccentric, whereby the amountof paint delivered by said pump with each turn of said roller can beadjusted between predetermined maximum and minimum volume;

conduit means connecting the intake side of said pump to a supply ofpaint; and

means connected to the discharge side of said pump for delivering paintfrom the pump to said roller.

comprising:

a tubular holder having a handle at one end;

a hollow cylindrical roller rotatably supported at the other end of saidholder, said roller having a pair of closure plugs fixed to the endsthereof;

a perforated pipe extending longitudinally through said roller at thecenter thereof, said plugs rotating on said pipe near the ends thereof;

a pump mounted on one end of said pipe, said pump including a stationarymember and a movable member mounted for reciprocative movement withrespect thereto;

an eccentric disk mounted on the outside of the one end plug adjacentsaid pump, said disk being pivoted for swinging movement in a directionto increase or decrease the amount of eccentricity of said disk withrespect to said end plug;

means for securing said eccentric disk in angularly adjusted positionwith respect to its pivot axis;

a connecting rod attached at one end to said movable pump member andhaving a circular aperture in the other end thereof to receive saideccentric disk, whereby rotation of said eccentric disk with said oneend plug causes said movable pump member to reciprocate with respect tosaid stationary pump member;

said other end of said holder bemg attached to said stationary pumpmember and communicating with the intake side of said pump;

said perforated pipe being attached to said stationary pump member andcommunicating with the discharge side of said pump; and

a flexible tube connecting said one end of said tubular holder to acontainer of paint;

said pump being operable to pump paint from said container into theinterior of said roller when the latter is rotated by running it overthe surface to be painted, and said roller being porous so as to allowpaint to pass through from the interior thereof to its exterior surface.

3. A self-feeding roller for applying paint and the like,

as described in claim 2, wherein said means for securing said eccentricdisk in adjusted position comprising:

a spring-pressed latch pin on said one end plug;

said eccentric disk having a plurality of holes provided therein toreceive said latch pin, said holes being arranged in a circular arehaving said pivot screw as its center; and

a springpressed stem on said stationary pump member, said stem beingpositioned where it can be inserted down into one of said holes in whichsaid latch pin is seated, whereby the latch pin can be depressed todisengage the same from said one hole and thereby free said eccentricdisk so that the latter can be turned.

4. A self-feeding roller for aplying paint and the like,

comprising:

a tubular holder having a handle at one end;

a hollow cylindrical roller rotatably supported at the other end of saidholder, said roller having a pair of closure plugs fixed to the endsthereof;

a perforated pipe extending longitudinally through said roller at thecenter thereof, said plugs rotating on said pipe near the ends thereof;

a pump mounted on one end of said pipe, said pump including a stationarypiston and a movable cylinder mounted for reciprocative movement withrespect thereto;

a connecting rod attached at one end to said movable cylinder;

an eccentric disk mounted on the one of said closure plugs adjacent saidpump, and rotatable therewith;

said eccentric disk being connected to said one end closure plug by apivot screw adjacent one edge of the disk;

21 spring-pressed latch pin on said one end plug;

said eccentric having a plurality of holes provided therein to receivesaid latch pin, said holes being arranged in a circular arc having saidpivot screw at its center;

said connecting rod having a circular aperture at its other end toreceive said eccentric disk;

said eccentric disk and said connecting rods being operable toreciprocate said cylinder with respect to said piston responsive torotation of said roller;

said other end of said tubular holder being attached to said stationarypiston and communicating with the intake side of said pump;

said perforated pipe being attached to said stationary piston andcommunicating with the discharge side of said pump;

a flexible tube connecting said one end of said tubular holder to acontainer of paint;

said pump being operable to pump paint from said container into theinterior of said roller when the latter is rotated by running it overthe surface to be painted, said roller being porous so as to allow paintto pass from the interior thereof to its external surface; and

means for unseating said latch pin from whichever of said holes it isseated in, so as to permit turning said eccentric about said pivot screwto change the throw of the eccentric.

comprising:

a tubular holder having a handle at one end;

a hollow cylindrical roller rotatably supported at the other end of saidholder, said roller being closed at both ends thereof;

a perforated pipe extending longitudinally through said said roller atthe center thereof, said pipe projecting through one end of the roller;

a pump mounted externally of said roller at said one end thereof, saidpump comprising a stationary member and a movable member, one of saidmembers being a cylinder, and the other a piston slidable therein;

said projecting end of said pipe and said other end of said tubularholder both being connected to said stationary pump member, wherebythere is communication between them;

the common axis of said stationary and movable pump members beingdisposed perpendicular to the axis of said roller;

a flexible tube connecting said one end of said tubular holder to acontainer of paint;

valve means controlling the flow of paint from said tubular holder intosaid stationary pump member and out through said perforated pipe intothe interior of said roller;

a connecting rod connected at one end to said movable pump member and atthe other end to said one end of said roller, said other end of saidconnecting rod being connected eccentricaily to said one end of saidroller whereby said movable pumptrnernbe-r is reciprocated when saidroller rotates; and

means for adjusting the eccentricity of said connecting rod to saidroller with respect to the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the amountof paint delivered by said pump with each turn of said roller may bevaried.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Wantz 230--20 XTakats.

Harnant 101-366 De Marco 15548 Mercereau 15-562 X Fugate 15-548 10ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

5. A SELF-FEEDING ROLLER FOR APPLYING PAINT AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING: ATUBULAR HOLDER HAVING A HANDLE AT ONE END; A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL ROLLERROTATABLY SUPPORTED AT THE OTHER END OF SAID HOLDER, SAID ROLLER BEINGCLOSED AT BOTH ENDS THEREOF; A PERFORATED PIPE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLYTHROUGH SAID SAID ROLLER AT THE CENTER THEREOF, SAID PIPE PROJECTINGTHROUGH ONE END OF THE ROLLER; A PUMP MOUNTED EXTERNALLY OF SAID ROLLERAT SAID ONE END THEREOF, SAID PUMP COMPRISING A STATIONARY MEMBER AND AMOVABLE MEMBER, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS BEING A CYLINDER, AND THE OTHER APISTON SLIDABLE THEREIN; SAID PROJECTING END OF SAID PIPE AND SAID OTHEREND OF SAID TUBULAR HOLDER BOTH BEING CONNECTED TO SAID STATIONARY PUMPMEMBER, WHEREBY THERE IS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEM; THE COMMON AXIS OFSAID STATIONARY AND MOVABLE PUMP MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED PERPENDICULAR TOTHE AXIS OF SAID ROLLER; A FLEXIBLE TUBE CONNECTING SAID ONE END OF SAIDTUBULAR HOLDER TO A CONTAINER OF PAINT; VALVE MEANS CONTROLLING THE FLOWOF PAINT FROM SAID TUBULAR HOLDER INTO SAID STATIONARY PUMP MEMBER ANDOUT THROUGH SAID PERFORATED PIPE INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID ROLLER; ACONNECTING ROD CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID MOVABLE PUMP MEMBER AND ATTHE OTHER END TO SAID ONE END OF SAID ROLLER, SAID OTHER END OF SAIDCONNECTING ROD BEING CONNECTED ECCENTRICALLY TO SAID ONE END OF SAIDROLLER WHEREBY SAID MOVABLE PUMP MEMBER IS RECIPROCATED WHEN SAID ROLLERROTATES; AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ECCENTRICITY OF SAID CONNECTING RODTO SAID ROLLER WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION THEREOF, WHEREBY THEAMOUNT OF PAINT DELIVERED BY SAID PUMP WITH EACH TURN OF SAID ROLLER MAYBE VARIED.